Wellington's Nic Croad made it three successes from four attempts in wining this year's Otago Queen's Birthday Open trophy. Easily the top seed by nearly 200 rating points, Fide Master Croad brushed aside most challenges from the relatively strong 12 player field. Only the writer obtained a lucky draw in the fifth round, to restrict Croad to 5½/6, a point ahead of fellow wellingtonian Ross Jackson in second place. Next came a threeway tie for third between Michael Nyberg (Wellington), John Sutherland (Otago) and the writer on 4 points. The grade prize was shared by the indefatigible Arie Nijman (Canterbury) and Hamish Gold (Otago) on 3 points.
Today's game features Nic Croad with the white pieces scoring a crucial second round victory over one of his main rivals, Michael Nyberg.
1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 b6
Transposing to the English Defence, where Black allows White to advance his e-pawn hoping to prove the centre pawns to be overextended. 4. e4 Bb4 5. e5 Ne4 6. Qc2 ---
Playing safer than the stem game in this variation Kmoch-Yates 1930 where White chose 6 Qg4! Nxc3 7 a3 Bf8 8 bxc3 with some advantage, though Black, England's top international at the time, went on to win. 6. --- Bb7 7. Nf3 c5 8. a3 cxd4
Preserving the bishop for now with 8 ... Ba5!? was promising. 9. axb4 dxc3 10. bxc3 d5 11. Bd3 Qc7 12. O-O Nd7 13. cxd5 exd5 14. c4 Nxe5?
Sometimes grabbing a centre pawn is worth it, but here it costs Black his last chance to castle. The black king's insecurity is the theme of the rest of the game. 15. Nxe5 Qxe5 16. Bb2 Qf4 17. cxd5 Nf6
Or 17 ... Bxd5? 18 Rae1 and the pin against the king will win a piece. 18. Rae1+ Kf8 19. Be5! Qg5 20. f4! Qh5 21. Qc7! ---
Having bundled the black queen out of the way White launches a direct mating attack. Black's reply is forced, leading to the fatal weakening of his king's shelter. Croad's handling of the attack is first-rate. 21. --- Bxd5 22. Qd6+ Kg8 23. Bxf6! gxf6 24. Re3 ---
The the check on the g-file will prove costly to Black, with the king unable to escape: e.g. 24 ... Kg7 25 Rg3+ Kh6 26 Qxf6+ etc. 24. --- Be6 25. Rg3+ Bg4 26. Qxf6! Re8 27. Bc4 Resigns
Black must jettison material or be mated e.g. 27 ... Rf8 28 Rd1! h6 29 Bxf7+ Qxf7 30 Rxg4+ Kh7 31 Rd7! Rhg8 (31 ... Qxd7 32 Qg6#) 32 Rxf7+ Rxf7 33 Qxf7+ Kh8 34 Qxg8#.
Third Otago Open for Croad
Problem: White to play and mate in 4.
Wellington's Nic Croad made it three successes from four attempts in wining this year's Otago Queen's Birthday Open trophy. Easily the top seed by nearly 200 rating points, Fide Master Croad brushed aside most challenges from the relatively strong 12 player field. Only the writer obtained a lucky draw in the fifth round, to restrict Croad to 5½/6, a point ahead of fellow wellingtonian Ross Jackson in second place. Next came a threeway tie for third between Michael Nyberg (Wellington), John Sutherland (Otago) and the writer on 4 points. The grade prize was shared by the indefatigible Arie Nijman (Canterbury) and Hamish Gold (Otago) on 3 points.
Today's game features Nic Croad with the white pieces scoring a crucial second round victory over one of his main rivals, Michael Nyberg.
1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 b6
Transposing to the English Defence, where Black allows White to advance his e-pawn hoping to prove the centre pawns to be overextended.
4. e4 Bb4
5. e5 Ne4
6. Qc2 ---
Playing safer than the stem game in this variation Kmoch-Yates 1930 where White chose 6 Qg4! Nxc3 7 a3 Bf8 8 bxc3 with some advantage, though Black, England's top international at the time, went on to win.
6. --- Bb7
7. Nf3 c5
8. a3 cxd4
Preserving the bishop for now with 8 ... Ba5!? was promising.
9. axb4 dxc3
10. bxc3 d5
11. Bd3 Qc7
12. O-O Nd7
13. cxd5 exd5
14. c4 Nxe5?
Sometimes grabbing a centre pawn is worth it, but here it costs Black his last chance to castle. The black king's insecurity is the theme of the rest of the game.
15. Nxe5 Qxe5
16. Bb2 Qf4
17. cxd5 Nf6
Or 17 ... Bxd5? 18 Rae1 and the pin against the king will win a piece.
18. Rae1+ Kf8
19. Be5! Qg5
20. f4! Qh5
21. Qc7! ---
Having bundled the black queen out of the way White launches a direct mating attack. Black's reply is forced, leading to the fatal weakening of his king's shelter. Croad's handling of the attack is first-rate.
21. --- Bxd5
22. Qd6+ Kg8
23. Bxf6! gxf6
24. Re3 ---
The the check on the g-file will prove costly to Black, with the king unable to escape: e.g. 24 ... Kg7 25 Rg3+ Kh6 26 Qxf6+ etc.
24. --- Be6
25. Rg3+ Bg4
26. Qxf6! Re8
27. Bc4 Resigns
Black must jettison material or be mated e.g. 27 ... Rf8 28 Rd1! h6 29 Bxf7+ Qxf7 30 Rxg4+ Kh7 31 Rd7! Rhg8 (31 ... Qxd7 32 Qg6#) 32 Rxf7+ Rxf7 33 Qxf7+ Kh8 34 Qxg8#.
1-0
Solution: 1 Rxh6+! Kxh6 2 g5+ Kxg5 (2 ... Kh7 3 Rh4#) 3 Qg4+ Kh6 4 Qh4#.